Otherworld
by SassyJ
Summary: Stephen is dead, and Helen has tried to change the world again. Nick and the team must put the clues together and stop her before it is all too late for the world.
1. Chapter 1

Nick Cutter was in a world of trouble, he ached all over, he wasn't sure where he was, and he'd been staked out as bait for something. Someone had tied his hands behind his back, and wrapped a chain around his legs, he couldn't move, the sun beat down on his bare back. His cheek pressed against the sand, Nick groaned. It didn't help the pain, but he proved to himself that he was still alive. He had seen the sun move round, so he knew he had been here _wherever here was_, for a least five hours.

Unable to free himself, he struggled to hang on.

The buzzing noise behind him startled him, he tried to lick his lips, but his throat was totally dry. His head was swimming.

Hands reached down to him. "Shit." The voice said loudly, with a distinct accent that he hadn't heard in his life before. "Dammit, going to have to take you with me. And since we don't have much time, forgive the informality." He was dragged upright and draped over someone's lap, head resting against what appeared to be a feminine hip, he had time to register that he appeared to be slumped over a quad bike when the someone who'd just saved him from being dinosaur bait, gunned the engine and with the brief sensation of flying through the air, he passed out from a combination of pain and exhaustion.

* * *

He awoke to a completely different sensation. Cool cotton sheets, a soft comfortable bed, he was lying on his front, his bruised and torn wrists had been cleaned and bandaged, someone had tended the painful sunburn on his back and various other scrapes and cuts, he moved experimentally and moaned at the throbbing pain which pounded at his senses from every inch of his body, and the slight sense of embarrassment that he appeared to be stark naked beneath the sheets. A cool hand was laid against his forehead, a soft voice sounded quietly just above his head, "take it easy."

He opened his eyes more fully and struggled to focus on her face. A pretty face, with a long shaggy mane of dark hair surrounding it, she was very young. _Not more than 22 or so_. He tried to articulate his thanks but his mouth was still dry. She gently helped him ease over onto his back, and sit up, holding the glass for him, as he drank. "Thanks." his voice sounded strange to him. She eased a couple of pillows behind him and made him comfortable, then sat down beside him on the bed, which felt somewhat uncomfortable _but in a good way._

"My name is Coralie Jakobs. I'm a computer games designer, and I've been playing in my own private _otherworld_ for the last ten years, since I was thirteen. About eight years ago, your wife, Helen Cutter started showing up, and I've been successfully avoiding her, and you, ever since;" She smiled "until two days ago, when I came across your battered corpse staked out as bait, and discovered that you weren't quite as dead as I first thought you were. So I picked you up and brought you back here. Cleaned you up," she smiled at his quick flush, and the way he pulled the sheet a little closer, "now I'm trying to figure out what to do with you."

"I need to get back to the Arc." Nick tried to move to get out of bed, but everything hurt too much. He blushed with embarrassment for second time when Coralie made him comfortable, _although,_ he acknowledged to himself, _there was nothing but gentle efficiency in her touch_.

"Well, you're not going anywhere right now, so I am going to have to bring someone to you." She wasn't too keen on that, but he needed to contact his people. "So who's it going to be."

_Jenny?_ He really wasn't sure exactly where they stood. He'd read so many signals wrong, and right now he was feeling too tired and sore to deal with arguments. _Connor?_ His bumbling computer genius had a good heart, but a disastrous follow through. _Abbey?_ His zoologist was fine, intelligent, caring and well able to keep certain matters private. Certain that he wasn't going to ask Sir James Lester, boss and arch critic, to be his assistant "Abbey," he said, confident that he'd made the right choice, "but...how?"

"Well your phone was smashed, but I should be able to recover the numbers from it." she looked down at him, he was pale beneath the sunburn, and in a bad way, "you had better get some more rest." She bent over him, helping him ease down the bed. "I''l come back when I've got the number."

He tried to thank her, but his headache was worsening, and the sense of drowning was rising up again. He closed his eyes, and felt the gentle touch of her hand on his forehead, then nothing.

* * *

Coralie sat down at her desk, the bedroom door was ajar in case he needed anything, _and because you like watching over him, admit it._ She had been stunned to find him, and horrified, because at first she had thought he was dead, then she'd realised he was still alive, she had seen the signs of animals in the area, and knew her time was running out, she needed to get back through the anomaly or be stuck there for the night at least. _With an injured man, insufficient supplies and no major weapon, that would be an extremely bad idea._ Aware that she had no real idea of any possible internal injuries, she needed to take a chance.

So she'd brought him back through, and it was nearly midnight before she'd managed to get back to her place. She'd driven as close to her front door as she could get, raced in to retrieve a blanket, then used it to drag him down her short front hall to her bedroom, thanking her lucky stars that no one would be likely to see her, her tiny little lodge was off the beaten track, at the bottom of the drive which led to her parents' home, since they were away in Scotland, it was very unlikely that anyone would be coming down the drive at that time of night.

She'd managed to get him on the bed, managed to get what remained of his clothes off, and settled down to cleaning up and dressing the various cuts, grazes and bruises on his body. He'd remained completely out of it during her ministrations, and this worried her. So she'd called the one person in the world she knew she could completely trust.

Andrew Griffiths looked more like the prop forward he was in his spare time, than the talented Doctor he was in his every day life. A fellow extreme sports enthusiast he'd saved her bacon on more than one occasion, and Coralie needed his help now.

He'd examined Cutter with a swift efficiency, "bruises, cuts, rope burns on his wrists, major case of sunburn and dehydration." he glanced up at her a teasing light in his eyes, "I'm sure there's some terribly valid reason why you have Professor Nicholas Cutter, unconscious and in your bed, after having such a major crush on him all this time."

Coralie blushed, and her lower lip trembled, "Oh Griff!" she sought assurance against his firm shoulder.

"Buck up girl," his voice was warm and caring "he's not dead yet, and you've apparently saved him from a dreadful fate." He looked sideways down at her, and Coralie hesitated, then nodded.

"Girl, I told you not to go there on your own!" Griff scolded her. "We've talked about this before."

"Griff, it was a one time thing, I was in and out really quickly, and to be honest, I'm not sorry I did."

"Just make sure it was just a one time thing." He looked stern. "You know better than most what can go wrong. I don't like seeing you take unnecessary risks."

Coralie looked down at the unconscious man lying in her bed. "Griff, you know it's the source of the games, my inspiration. Tonight made me realise that the risks of going alone are too great."

She looked into his serious eyes, "I promise I won't be doing it again."

"See you don't." Then all doctor again. "Keep him quiet and make sure he gets plenty of rest, I'll put in an I/V to get the fluids started, for god's sake don't let him pull it out, when he wakes up you need to get him to drink plenty of water. I would suggest that he stays put for at least tomorrow and possibly Thursday too. I'll come back tomorrow night to check him over."

* * *

After he left, Coralie sat and pondered the truth of his words. It was very true that Otherworld was dangerous, and that she shouldn't have been there on her own. _And it's also true that you've had crush on Professor Nicholas Cutter since you first read one of his books, then Dad took you to those lectures, and that was it._ Now he was sleeping in her bed. He was even better up close than from the back of a lecture hall, and she'd saved him. Trouble is, she didn't have a clue what to do about it.

* * *

"Oh my god...you look terrible."

Nick opened his eyes, his vision still a bit blurred, he blinked and the fuzzy edges disappeared, sharpening up the image of Abbey staring down at his battered self. "Thanks." his voice was still hoarse from the effects of being left in the blazing sun.

Abbey sat down on the bed next to him, and took his hand in both of hers. "We've all been out of our minds with worry."

"All?" He seriously doubted that Lester would be anything other than his unflappable urbane self.

"All." She said firmly. He looked up at her, and the most unexpected thought popped into his head, that here was a beautiful, intelligent young woman, _and yet her touch doesn't effect me in the same way as the young woman who saved my life yesterday._ And he didn't have the slightest idea what to do with that knowledge. He suddenly realised that Abbey was still speaking to him.

"I had to tell Jenny...and Connor...and we all agreed to keep it to ourselves for now," she was saying, "until we know who did this to you."

"It was Helen." Nick didn't want to acknowledge that particularly painful truth, but his ex wife now viewed him as expendable since he'd turned down her offer of remaking the universe. He only remembered scraps of how he ended up face down, grilling like a steak, in the blazing hot sun. He'd been walking to his car. Something had connected with the back of his neck, and the roof had caved in, he was being carried, voices, the snarls of an animal, heat, dust, even with his eyes closed, the unrelenting orange light assaulting his senses. He dragged himself back from that unpleasant memory with an effort, aware of the concern in Abbey's face; he was tired, so very tired, all he wanted to do right now was sleep. His eyelids drooped again, and he started to drift away. _I'll sort it all out later._

Abbey was horrified, and quite scared. Nick Cutter was a strong man, quiet and reserved, but with an inner strength that carried him through what, Abbey was the first to admit, were some pretty hairy situations. She wasn't used to seeing him like this, vulnerable, and it scared her more than she was prepared to admit. That anyone could do what they'd done to him, revolted her, but that it was Helen, the woman he'd loved and lost, _and mourned_ for so long, made her feel really sick.

When she'd first come to the door and knocked, she'd been taken aback by Coralie Jakobs. The other woman was younger, and prettier, than she'd imagined. There was something in the slightly defiant look in Coralie's eyes which made her wonder, just a little, what Nick Cutter could possibly be to Coralie, but the sight of her battered, bruised and very sunburnt boss had chased those thoughts out of her head.

"Is it all right if I stay for a while." she looked up at the young woman.

"Sure." Coralie was a little cool and watchful, and Abbey wondered again what Nick was to her. It was perfectly plain to her, Abbey, that this young woman had feelings for her boss. _God, there must be close to twenty years age gap._ And she recognised her. Coralie Jakobs was connected to the corridors of power in some way. A while back, when googling Sir James Lester _partly out of curiosity, partly out of annoyance,_ she'd come across a photograph taken at some society function or other, Sir James and this young woman. So she clearly moved in those kind of circles. Abbey acknowledged there were going to be other problems along the way, not the least what Lester was going to say when he found out that a few members of the public, at least, apparently not only knew about the anomalies, but had been visiting them for years, in fact years before even Helen had apparently vanished into one.

She sat and pondered these problems, still holding Nick's hand. She was unsure if she was trying to impart some degree of comfort to him, or deriving comfort from holding his hand, reassuring herself that the warmth of his skin beneath her fingers was real, that he was alive and whilst not exactly well, on the road to recovery. Abbey narrowed her eyes, whatever else happened she was going to get Helen Cutter, for Nick, for Stephen and even for her little pet, Rex.


	2. Upheaval

"_This is the closest thing to crazy I have ever been  
Feeling twenty-two, acting seventeen,  
This is the nearest thing to crazy I have ever known,  
I was never crazy on my own...  
And now I know that there's a link between the two,  
Being close to craziness and being close to you."_

_The Closest Thing to Crazy, Katie Melua_

* * *

Sir James Lester was not pleased. The ARC was in chaos, Stephen's death had had a profound effect on them all, he still did not have a replacement assistant for the slimy little Leek, and there was still a mammoth to return to its own time. _Now Cutter._ He really didn't want to think about what had been done to the man, Nick Cutter was not exactly his favourite person, far too challenging and independently minded, but he had to admit that Nick had guts, determination and his knowledge and skills had kept them alive and just about ahead in the game. Helen Cutter was a dangerous woman, meddling in things which threatened them all, presumably this was her revenge on Nick for turning her down flat. _Staked out and left for animal food._ Lester shuddered, then was drawn back to the present by a soft warm breeze which ruffled his hair and tickled his neck. He swung round.

"Why is this creature still among us?" he looked at Abbey, who was feeding the mammoth fruit. Lester sighed, thoroughly exasperated. A long dexterous trunk reached out and softly fondled the top of his head, he brushed the creature off, but gently, after all it's hunting instincts had saved his life when the chips were down. "Don't get too attached." His tone sounded unconvincing even to him, and there was a slight glimmer in Abbey's eyes as she turned towards him, "please, no more facts about mammoths" he held up his hand as she was going to speak, "the only facts I need are when are we likely to see Cutter back here, and when are we going to be able to send this home." He brushed the soft trunk away for a second time.

Abbey shrugged, "I don't know. We haven't yet had an anomaly that is from his time. About Nick," she looked down at her hands, "he's badly hurt," her voice wavered slightly, "I honestly don't know."

Lester was not insensitive to her pain, Cutter was, in his opinion, a bit of a loose cannon, but he inspired true loyalty in the little team and that he'd been kidnapped and then left to die in such a brutal manner made Lester feel slightly sick himself.

* * *

The third day, Nick Cutter finally awoke with a clear head. Most everything still hurt, but the pain was considerably reduced, and he found that he could actually eat food. He still blushed when he remembered the previous day's events, breakfast in bed, shortly afterwards he had been more miserably sick than he had ever been in his entire life, recollections of lying across the bed, Coralie holding his head, and gently soothing his back with her free hand while he threw up in a bucket were a little hazy, but clear enough.

She'd helped him wash, and shave. He'd looked at himself in the mirror, bruises on his left temple, running down the side of his face, five day growth of whiskers, he looked down at his hands, the pink lines of the rope burns on his wrists marring the tanned flesh, he looked a mess. And there was the other problem to think about. He was alone with the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, she'd saved his life, cared for him and cooked and tended to his injuries, and on a very fundamental level, he was very strongly attracted to her. _She's half your age, clearly well to do, and a million miles out of your league, Cutter._ Their eyes had met, and she'd put a hand up to his freshly shaved jaw. Leaning towards him, she had gently kissed him.

It was such a little thing that kiss, but Cutter had felt it all the way down to his toes, the softness of her lips on his, and he badly wanted to deepen the kiss, he wanted to know more about this beautiful girl. _Oh god, don't let me be reading this wrong. _ For a brief moment he had hesitated, then he'd gently kissed her back.

With an effort, Nick dragged himself back to the present, propping himself up on one elbow, he looked down. It hadn't been a dream, she was lying beside him. It was far too soon, but they'd curled up together in Coralie's bed, just content to hold on to one another. He looked down at her, her long dark curls spread out on the pillow next to him, he gently cupped her jaw with his free hand, leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips, she smiled in her sleep and snuggled closer, he smiled at her innocent reaction and settled himself into a slightly more comfortable position, his arm around her waist. Her hand slid up around his neck and they lay pressed against each other.

It had been a very long time since he had felt this way, and he was startled at the speed with which he had fallen for her. Nick was naturally cautious, he had given his heart to his wife, and Helen had trampled all over it, he had just started to build something with Claudia and she had disappeared thanks to Helen's interference, _now Coralie,_ he tightened his grip ever so slightly, she shifted in his arms, and her eyes opened.

Coralie smiled, she loved the way he was gentle and hesitant with her. She sensed that this was a heart well worth the winning, and that where he loved it was with a fierce intensity. She slid her hand a little further around his neck, and slid her fingers into the thick ginger hair, he didn't need much more prompting, he gently claimed her mouth with his own.

He wanted to take it slow, conscious that they'd only just met, and that she was very young, but even though he was far from fully fit, he could feel how much he wanted her. One of her hands was buried in his hair, her thumb tracing an idle pattern on the side of his neck, the fingers of her other hand explored his body. He wondered how long he would be able to hold back.

* * *

Helen paused to fill her water bottle. The Cretaceous was not a particularly safe place to be, _but perfect for getting rid of unwanted ex husbands._ She had determined from the moment that Stephen had chosen to be a hero that she would have to be rid of Nick. He was simply too good, he would stand in her way, and she couldn't have that.

So she'd arranged to have him snatched, just outside ARC, _particularly enjoyed that piece of irony._ She'd tied his hands behind his back taking a perverse pleasure in hurting him, _revenge for Stephen_, and her own private little Cleaner army carried him through an anomaly. She'd actually stayed to watch for a while, watching him wake up, realise that he was trapped, struggle ineffectually to free his hands, she was surprised at how little she'd felt as his struggles grew weaker. Knowing that it was only a matter of time before it was all over, she'd left.

Now that Nick was dead, she could start to implement her plans. Her experiment with the Cleaner proved more conclusively that she was right. _Claudia/Jenny and the Cleaner are only the beginning_ she promised herself.

* * *

The alarm was sounding as Nick strode into the ARC, he was still feeling quite rough, and not really up to pursuing whatever was likely to come through this anomaly, but he was keen to get back to his work, and Coralie was with him. The way Nick saw it, there was little point in trying to keep her out, especially as her input could be invaluable. She'd been playing there since she was a child of thirteen. She was physically fit, experienced, and well able to take care of herself. Quite what Lester was likely to say about it, was anyone's guess, but Nick didn't care. If she was close, he could protect her, and he had the distinct feeling that her interference in Helen's plans would make her another target. They walked hand in hand down to Cutter's office.

"Cutter?" Nick turned, Lester was walking down the corridor towards them. "Coralie?" His eyebrows rose, "my dear." He kissed her cheek. "I trust you're in some sort of condition to deal with this," he said to Nick, "all hell has broken loose and frankly we need you."

"We." Coralie answered for Nick. "Don't even try to stop me." To Nick's surprise, Lester backed down without even an argument.

"Out front, ten minutes." Lester indicated the door behind him, "ladies cloakroom." Coralie gave him a peculiar look; squeezed Nick's hand and stepped through the door. The men stood awkwardly as she left.

Lester found his voice, "Good to see you back," he gestured in the direction that Coralie had taken, "I hope you know what you're getting into. Ram Jakobs, corporate raider and all round high stakes gambler, that's her father; Sofia her mother, is a Sicilian noblewoman of ancient ancestry, their only daughter? Coralie can be quite headstrong."

"I gathered." Cutter had already failed in his quest to keep her at home, she had no intention of keeping out of the way. "I'll keep her close."

"So I see." Lester paused "Anomaly?"

"On our way." Abbey and Connor were just behind. "Nick!" They both hugged him, relieved that he was back.

Just as Abbey finished hugging him, Coralie stepped back into the corridor. There was a quick flare of something in her eyes, and without meaning to, Abbey stepped back. Connor was gawping at this beautiful vision, and Abbey had the sudden urge to slap him. "Errrr Nick."

Nick felt suddenly reluctant to justify Coralie's presence, "I'll explain in the car." He flushed slightly and ushered them towards the exit.

"What's Jenny going to say." Connor whispered in Abbey's ear as they followed.


	3. New Friends, Old Enemies

_Mostly domestic..._

_I don't own, so please don't sue, only currency involved is sheer pleasure, topped with a dollop of perversity and served up with a fair coating of ham..._

* * *

Jenny was not happy. Whilst she could admit that Cutter was not her property, and that she'd hardly encouraged him, the fact that he'd hooked up with a very beautiful and young woman niggled a bit. _Just when I was almost believing that we might get somewhere._ She'd met Coralie Jakobs at several society functions, and liked her, _but not with Nick._

She looked at him now, crouched down examining the tracks in the dirt, he was pale under his tan, he looked exhausted and clearly should still be in bed, but he was still alive _and that was what counted._ Jenny cocked her rifle, _if she had Helen in her sights right now... _Off to her right, a rifle cocked, Jenny looked across at Coralie, and knew without speaking that they were in complete accord, Helen Cutter had to be stopped.

Cutter was feeling sick again. His head was swimming, and his vision was a bit blurred, but he was determined to carry on. The footprints leading away from the anomaly were unmistakably raptor. _Not raptors again,_ he really wasn't feeling up to chasing one or more of those. He stood up too quickly and staggered, _this really was a bad idea..._ Coralie's arm went round his waist, and he leaned against her, grateful for the support.

"Shit. Nick, hold on." She looked across to Jenny, "I'm going to have to take him back to the vehicles."

"No." Cutter had no intention of abandoning his team. He put his hand up to her cheek. "I can manage...just about." he admitted. The worry in her eyes made him want to kiss her then and there, the presence of the others preventing him. _Some things were just to private to advertise._ He was conscious that their relationship was very new, and he wanted to keep it just between them for a while.

The tender exchange was not lost on Jenny, or Abbey returning from the vehicle with a rifle in her hand. Abbey risked a swift glance across to Jenny, and was slightly relieved by the rueful look on Jenny's face. Abbey felt loyal to her team mate, certain that there had been something about to blossom between Jenny and Nick, but also grateful that Nick had found someone to care for him as he'd been doubly abandoned, first Helen who then tried to kill him, and then Stephen who had died saving all their lives. They all missed Stephen, but most especially Nick, as Stephen had been his research assistant for more than nine years. Abbey didn't want to imagine the pain that Nick was going through, it was all such a horrible mess. Stephen and Helen having an affair, Helen going missing, Helen coming back, Helen seducing Stephen away from the team, Stephen finally realising that she had lied to him, Stephen dying in that horrible way... _Connor! Where the hell is Connor._

Abbey swung round ready to scream his name, when he appeared from behind a bush. Her eyes narrowed. He walked over to her smiling that dopey cute grin of his, she tamped down on the rush of affection that made her want to grin back at him and punched him on the arm. Hard. "OWWW...what was that for?" his tone aggrieved, he glared back.

"That was for making me worry, and wandering off on your own." Her eyes widened in horror, a raptor was flying towards them...leaping in the air...there was no time...there was a very loud crack and something hissed past her ear and suddenly the raptor was on the floor. Abbey swung round, Jenny didn't have a clear shot, Nick didn't... she realised that Coralie had taken the shot, literally between their heads. "Jeez..." she gasped.

The others were staring at Coralie. "I had the shot for a split second, I took it." she shrugged. Abbey struggled to regain her breath, uncertain whether she wanted to kiss and hug the other girl for saving her and Connor from an unpleasant death, or slap her for scaring them halfway there.

"Where did you learn to shoot like that?" Nick stared at her in wonder.

"Playstation. And plenty of practice at Dad's country shoots." Coralie shrugged, a little embarrassed, "it's no biggie, I saw the shot, I took it." She looked at him closely, he was struggling, and didn't want to admit it. _Darn but you're stubborn, well you've met your match in me, Nick Cutter._

The soldiers were returning from their sweep of the woods, "nothing to report, sir." Nick passed a weary hand over his face, he felt that there was something he was missing, but he was too tired to think straight. Coralie had killed the one that had jumped them, perhaps there really weren't anymore this time. Behind him, the anomaly started to quiver and blink, it was disappearing. He was so tired, the soldiers hadn't found anything, and the attack had been close to the anomaly, perhaps that was the only one that got through. "Okay, crisis over." He made the decision.

Heading back to the truck, he passed Coralie the keys, "Can you drive?"

"I was planning to. You look bad."

"Thanks for telling me." He tried to make it into a joke, but somehow it didn't connect. He swayed a little, and once again Coralie slipped her arm around his waist, this time he accepted the support offered, because he seriously doubted he would make it back to the truck unaided. His three team mates exchanged worried glances.

"I knew he was too ill, why did he come back so soon." Abbey muttered to Connor and Jenny.

"Well you know Nick, saving the world, one creature at a time." Connor's attempts to lighten the situation only half succeeded.

The two women stared at him.

* * *

Much later, after Lester had been appeased with a short report, and a very quiet supper had been consumed, he lay stretched out across the sofa, his head resting in Coralie's lap and tried to make sense of the tracks leading out of the anomaly from memory. There were two, distinct sets of tracks. He was sure of it.

"There were two. I know there were." He made as if to try and sit up, but her hand on his shoulder prevented him.

"Even if there were two, it's pitch dark, you're exhausted, you've done far too much your first day, and there is nothing we can do now anyway." She gently smoothed his hair back from his forehead, "we'll go back tomorrow if you're still worried and make sure."

He sat up, but slowly, his head still didn't feel all that great, and the sunburn on his back itched, but he needed to be close to her. He stood up and held out his hand, her slim fingers slid into his, and she followed him to the bedroom. Words were unnecessary. They were caught up in the moment.

He paused, leaning back against the bedroom door, suddenly unsure, because the last person he had shared this room with was Helen. He looked around, there was nothing of Helen left here, not even the sheets on the bed, it was all his. And the beautiful young woman standing before him...

He stepped forward, his hands sliding round her waist, hers round his neck and they leaned into the kiss, he tugged her blouse free from her waistband and fumbled a bit with the tiny buttons, as she slid her hands down his chest and under the hem of his t-shirt. They dispensed with each other's clothing rapidly. Then they were both naked, he looked at her, fully clothed she was beautiful, naked she was something else, more magnificent than he'd imagined, perfectly proportioned, athletic but feminine; almost the same height, they fit together perfectly.

They collapsed onto the bed together, his hands in her hair, around her waist, lifting her close, her arms around him urging him closer, lifting her hips. _Taking it slow this time is going to be out of the question_ was his last conscious thought before primal instinct took over.

* * *

Lester shuffled irritably through the pile of resumes he had been sent. _Not suitable, too young, too old, too much change, not enough of the right experience, too much of a party goer,_ he sighed, it was almost tempting to hand the job straight to that girl that Connor had hooked himself up with. _Pretty little thing, reasonably bright, shows some courage and knows what this is all about. What was her name? Catherine, Caroline. That was it, Caroline._

* * *

When they were spent they lay cuddled against each other, Cutter's head was pounding and his body still felt as though it had gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson, but he had never felt happier in his life. He lay on his side, one arm flung around her waist, his head resting comfortably against her shoulder, her arms around him. Coralie stroked his arm with her free hand, and he tugged her down a little so that they were face to face.

"I've never felt happier." His blue eyes were solemn, with a warm passion in their depths that tugged hard at her soul.

"I love you." Her voice was soft, and she tensed slightly, worried that it was too soon, that she was pushing too hard; and she was rewarded with a brief flash of joy in his expression.

"Oh, god." his breath seemed to catch in his throat. "Darlin', if you knew what this means to me, to be able to hear a girl say that and know that she means it..." his voice trailed off.

"I know." Coralie pressed her lips to his, and despite his tiredness, they explored each others bodies once more with feeling.

* * *

Abbey curled up on the sofa, Rex swooped down and landed on the back, she reached up a hand and idly stroked his head with one finger. The little lizard squirmed and chirped, enjoying the attention. It was Connor's turn to cook dinner, but the clatter of pans from the kitchen area didn't sound at all promising.

"Can I help you..." Abbey called from the sofa.

"No...No." Connor's master plan for a romantic dinner à deux was not working out the way he had hoped. He fished in his pocket for his mobile, frantically dialing the number for the Indian takeaway on the corner. Quietly placing his order, he was desperately scratching around for an excuse to head out, when he became aware that Abbey was leaning over the counter behind him.

"And dinner will be served...when?" the teasing light in her eyes was too much. Connor blushed.

"Okay, okay, so I used to dust the inside of the oven!" he sighed.

"Round one is mine, I think." She grinned, enjoying his squirming.

Connor sighed heavily, his attempts at romance were faltering, he needed advice..._I shall have to ask Nick..._

* * *

Jenny was about to pack up and go home for the evening. She was pretty sure she was now alone in the building, apart from the night guards who were doing their rounds.

She walked through the darkened building slowly, she was tired, her feet hurt and all she wanted to do was go home and relax with a nice bottle of wine.

Reaching the front desk, she swiped her card over the sensor and the gate swung open with a little click. An echoing clunk sounded from somewhere above her head. She turned round slowly.

"Is anyone there?" She peered up to the gantry above her head, she could swear that she could hear breathing. She shook her head. _It's late, I'm tired, I'm hearing things._

She turned around and walked away. Not noticing the sharp eyes that watched her from the darkened gantry.


End file.
